Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-01
CORONER TAYLOR.

CORONER TAYLOR.
The first witness called was Coro-
ncr William II. Taylor He said that
On Saturday he, in the presence o!
Drs. Bosher, Smith, and Trevilian.
made a pOSt-mOrtem examination o.
Mrs. Loth's body and held an inquest
He detected slight congestion OF til ,
membranes of the brain-not sufficien
to account for her death. Thu
was consistent with but not CONCLUSIVE
of morphine-poisoning. He found
nothing to indicate any other disease,
and had he known nothing of the cir
cumstances surrounding the case he
would have attributed the immediate
cause of death TO brain disease. Nor
phine-poisoning causes death by acting
on the blood. The body had been en-
banned with embalming fluid, and
therefore the presence of poison could
not have easily been detected. Out
side of the circumstances and state
ments of witnesses at the inquest he
could not have pronounced 1t IA
case Of morphine-poisoning. He had
a conversation with the accused
Friday, in which the latter said that he
gave deceased two hypodermic inIe''-
tions of morphine-one OF one quart :
of grain and about three quarters oi
an hour later another of rather les.
The morphine was taken from papel :
which he had with him that had been
weighed either by himself or a druggis &.
DIR. Taylor said he did not consid
this quantity of opium sufficient to pro
duce death. One half grain is SOM
times given in practice III extreme
cases. and he knew of but one case re-
corded in which the administration oi
this quantity had killed lady. In by
podermic injections morphine hit
erratic effects, which the physician caii-
not foresee, and such may have beeI
the case in this instance. IN cases o.
persons affected with anything llk,
mysteries more morphine may be given
with safety. Stimulants are likely t.
retard, lessen for a time, or keep baci
the effects of morphine, but its power
will eventually assert itself. In justice
TO Dr. Gardner the Coroner said thai
the whiskey taken by Mrs. 10th having
probably prevented the morphine acting
as soon as it would ordinarily have done
he Or. GardDer) might have admins
tered the second dose desiring to re.
lieye Mrs. 10th.
DIR. TREvILIAS.
DR. ]. G.. Trevilian, Mr.. Loth's fam
ily physician, was next called. Aitel
making a detailed statement about hl'
being summoned, his arrival, and send
ING DIR. Gardner, who was the only
male person in the room, fo'
antidotes-Mr 10th having gon'
10 Summon DIR. Smith from th'
almshouse with a galyanic battery
&c.-the witness said that when he ar
rived Mrs. Loth's pulse was about AZ Il
the minnie. her face was of dark-blue,
swollen or pulled, and there were darl
discolorations about the eyes. The pu
nils of her eyes were contracted to tn,
Size of pins head. He pronounced i
a case of morphine poisoning. He dis
Ikod 70 say so, but he founC
DR. Gardner leaning over Mrs
10th in a semi-recumbent attitude
and drunk. He walked and talked anC
his manuuyres and general deportmen
we're those of drunken man. Th'
| dose of morphine which he would givl
always depends upon the condition an(
constitution Of the patient. He haC
frequently given Mrs. 10th a quarter o
a Grain. and repeated the dose In al
hour. and on one occasion had giveI
| her rs much as half grain. Heagree'
with DIR. Taylor rs to the effect o
st;mulants upon morphine, aud tha
congestion of the brain is usually foun'
after morphine-poisoning. He was con
6dent that Mrs. 10th had been giyel
more morphine than DIR. Gardner said
and that the first dose was sufficien
20 have killed her, as she died so sooi
sfter the second dose. This opinion
a wss based largely upon the general con
S;t;on Of the accused as well as that q
shs % time that witness saw him. Thi
witness. ike DIR. Taylor, was cross
nnestioned at some length, but nothins
| new or differing from the above wa
brought out
HR WAS SOBER.
Miss Eliza Fisher, who lives mex
door q Mr.. 10th, snd who was will